Hotels Are Getting Squashed When Homecoming Is Prohibited, Many Tourists Cancel Eid Holiday Orders, Including Amarta Hills

Amarta Hills Hotel in Kota Batu Jatim (DOK Instagram amartahills)

KOTA BATU - The Association of Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants (PHRI) Kota Batu said that many tourists canceled reservations or hotel room bookings during the Lebaran holiday season in mid-May.

Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) in Batu City, Muklas Rofiq, stated that of the 100 hotels that are members of the PHRI Kota Batu organization, there are several hotels that report reservation cancellations by customers.

"Most of the cancellations come from local ones, such as Surabaya Raya. For those outside like Jakarta, don't dare," said Rofiq, in Batu City, East Java, quoted by Antara, Friday, April 30.

Rofiq explained, based on the data obtained, one of the hotels that received quite a number of reservations during the Lebaran 2021 holiday was Amartahills Hotel & Resort, totaling 12 reservations.

However, continued Rofiq, as many as eight of the 12 room orders at the hotel, had been canceled following government regulations regarding restrictions on going home. In addition, Hotel Aster, also lost 25 reservations due to this rule.

Rofiq added, the current condition of hospitality is really depressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, government policies, which are considered to be fluctuating, also cause the hotel sector to become increasingly depressed.

"Other policies we have to pay THR, pay taxes, and others. It is not balanced. There is no balance. We survive half to death," said Rofiq.

Rofiq hopes that the government can provide policies that are more pro-business. Regarding the implementation of health protocols, he believes that all existing hotels are able to comply with the implementation of health protocols.

The Task Force for Handling COVID-19 decided to tighten the mobility of Domestic Travel Actors (PPDN) ahead of the period of eliminating homecoming from May 6 to May 17, 2021.

In the Addendum to the circular regarding the tightening of PPDN requirements, the enforcement of the tightening is divided into two times. First, the D-14 period before the period of eliminating homecoming (6-17 May 2021), which takes effect from 22 April to 5 May 2021.

Then, in the second period, H + 7 after the homecoming elimination period, which takes effect on 18-24 May 2021. The period of eliminating homecoming remains in effect on 6-17 May 2021, in accordance with the COVID-19 Handling Task Force circular letter Number 13 of 2021 .

Even though the government has tightened domestic travel, the tourism sector is still allowed to operate during the Eid holidays.